Groundbreaking Ceremony Held in Surrey for North America’s First Close-Loop Waste Management System

February 27, 2015

Mayor Linda Hepner along with representatives from public funding partner, the Government of Canada and private partner Orgaworld broke ground today on Surrey’s new organics Biofuel Processing Facility. Once completed in early 2017, Surrey will be home to the first closed-loop fully-integrated organics waste management system in North America.

”This project is a milestone for meeting the sustainability goals we have set for Surrey,” said Mayor Linda Hepner. “Not only will the facility be the first closed-loop, fully integrated, organics waste management system on the continent, but it will reduce CO2 emissions in Surrey by 40,000 tonnes a year – that’s the equivalent of taking 8,500 cars off the road per year.”

Construction will get underway this spring. Located in Surrey’s Port Kells industrial area, the facility will convert the City’s kitchen and yard waste collected at curbside, along with commercial waste from across the Region, into renewable natural gas. The natural gas will be used to fuel the City’s natural gas waste collection trucks, natural gas service fleet and new district energy system. The facility will also produce a compost product that will be suitable for landscaping and agricultural applications.

“The Surrey organics biofuels processing facility, will deliver a long-term, modern approach to solid waste management that is environmentally responsible and safe for all surrounding communities,” said John McBride, CEO, PPP Canada. “Canada needs to invest in modern and green infrastructure projects like these to be a world leader today and in the future, and public-private partnerships can help deliver these projects on time and on budget.”

"We are delighted to be awarded the contract to build and operate the Surrey Biofuel Facility,” said Henk Kaskens, Founder and Managing Director, Orgaworld. “Together with the City, we have designed an innovative solution that will prove to be world class. We believe the City of Surrey's progressive vision will set a new standard for organic waste management processing sites in North America.”

The City’s approach to developing this facility is through a public-private partnership (P3), with the Government of Canada contributing up to 25 percent of the capital costs through its P3 Canada Fund.

The facility will be designed to receive and process 115,000 tonnes of organic waste annually. When completed, the facility will be the largest of its kind in Canada with a capacity to process 100 percent of the City’s organic waste over the 25-year contract term, along with commercial organic waste, helping Metro Vancouver achieve its regional 70 percent waste diversion target. Once the facility is operational in early 2017, more than 15 full-time, long-term family supporting jobs will open up in Surrey.